USA Track & Field (USATF)

USA Track & Field is the National Governing Body for track and field, race walking and long distance running. The organization sets forth rules and regulations for competitions. USATF is a member of the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) and the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).  IAAF is the World Governing Body for track and field. The USATF web site is at www.usatf.org and IAAF is at www.iaaf.org.

Membership

In order to compete in national championship events and to represent the United States in international championship competitions, a USA Track & Field membership is required. The USATF membership needs to be renewed annually and can be done online either through the national office or through a state association.

High Performance Tier System for Athlete Support - USATF offers a variety of support packages for qualifying athletes based on a four-tier system.  To view a full description of the 2012 Athlete Criteria and Tier System, click here.

Long Distance Running Division

USATF has a Men’s Long Distance Running Committee and a Women’s Long Distance Running Committee made up of a combination of association members (volunteers) and athlete representatives. The committees select road running championships from bids received, determine selection criteria for international teams, and propose pertinent LDR rules changes, among other responsibilities. Minutes from LDR Committee meetings held at the USATF Annual Meeting in December are available on the USATF web site. The Men's LDR page can be found here and the Women's here.

Athletes Advisory Committee

The Athletes Advisory Committee is the athletes’ voice within USATF. Its basic purpose is to provide an athlete voice on all issues pertaining to the sport. The AAC is composed of current and former elite athletes. The committee’s responsibilities include appointing athletes to all USATF committees (all committees are required to have 20 percent representation by athletes), and to work with the USATF president on all matters relating to athletes.

Resources

A number of resources are available to professional and developing athletes through USATF, including the following which are described in full on the USATF web site.

  • Elite Athlete Handbook – The handbook is printed annually and covers everything from athlete support to travel information, to dealing with the media to drug testing to filing taxes. Athletes can acquire this comprehensive handbook by contacting USATF or clicking here.
  • Sports Performance Workshops –Sport Performance Workshops are held around the country with invited athletes (and their personal coaches) and focus on biomechanics, functional movement analysis, nutrition and sports psychology.  For full information on workshop content and athlete eligibility click here.
  • Olympic Training Centers in Chula Vista and Colorado Springs – USATF has a full coaching staff on-site at each Olympic Training Center whose role is to work with athletes at the center. There are three types of programs available to athletes – resident, short term and facility use. If an athlete ranks in the top 15 of his or her event in the preceding year, there is no cost to using the Olympic Training Center. Non-qualified athletes are charged $45 per day with a limit of 90 days in any calendar year. For more information contact Duffy Mahoney at duffy.mahoney@usatf.org.

Programs

Win With Integrity - In 2004, USATF and Team USA athletes initiated an outreach program that was aimed at educating youth, parents, educators, and coaches about the positive results that come from leading a physically active, drug-free lifestyle while living with integrity. Track and Field champions from every discipline visited schools and community centers all over the country to work directly with young people. Since then, the Win With Integrity program has evolved from a start-up program into one of USA Track & Field's most successful initiatives.  For more information on this program, click here.

Zero Tolerance - Developed by combining existing programs and USATF priorities with ambitious new initiatives, “Zero Tolerance” focuses on three goals: increasing efforts to catch and punish cheaters; expanding educational efforts and focusing the message on the theme that cheating is wrong and cheaters will be caught; and taking a more visible role on these issues.  For more information on this program, click here.